Zhang Yaxin’s Photographs of Mao’s Model Operas

Zhang Yaxin was working as a photojournalist for China’s state-controlled Xinhua News Agency when he was selected as the official photographer of Mao’s model operas. Using a specially imported Hasselblad camera and color film, he photographed the eight sanctioned operas during the course of the Cultural Revolution. Zhang was asked to destroy all unapproved and unused photos, but instead, he carefully stored them in an archive. Here, ahead of the opening of “China: Through the Looking Glass,” we share ten striking photos from the remarkable series.